1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to the field of tripod mounts and more particularly to the field of such mounts for dish antenna assemblies.
2. Discussion of the Background
Dish antenna assemblies are commonly mounted to platforms such as homes or recreational vehicles. In these mounts, the dish of the antenna assembly can be relatively easily and quickly aligned with the transmitting and/or receiving satellite and rigidly held in place. The home or vehicle in these arrangements provides a very stable and substantially permanent is structure to support the antenna. In contrast, dish antenna systems that are portable and intended to be mounted simply on collapsible tripods such as at campsites or in backyards offer significant design problems. In particular, the tripod mount must be very stable and strong to support the antenna (e.g., 40 pounds) in proper alignment yet easily and quickly collapsible into a compact shape for storage and transport.
With these and other problems in mind, the present invention was developed. In it, a tripod mount is provided that can be set up and collapsed fairly quickly and easily. Additionally, the tripod is provided with an adjustable azimuth arrangement mounted on one leg of the tripod. The dish antenna can then be supported on the tripod leg and its azimuth orientation conveniently adjusted as desired. The present invention is particularly adaptable for two-way communications where it is desirable to be able to set up virtually anywhere.